Scale



Feb. 13, 1940. w SIMMONS 2,189,866

SCALE Filed 001;. 26, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 William G. Simmons 153 INVENTOR.

157.5 ATTORIQEY.

Patented Feb. 13, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to coin-operated weighing machinery and has as one of its principal objects the provision of a preselecting mechanism in a coin-operated scale and so arranged that the patrons coin will be returned if the weight as actually indicated by the weighing mechanism coincides with that of the preselecting indicator.

Other objects include the provision of various coacting mechanisms for accomplishing the foregoing principal object.

Viewed from another aspect, it is an object of the invention to arrange a coin-freed weighing mechanism for coaction with a preselecting mechanism and a coin control so that the coincidence of the indicated weight with the preseiectively designated weight will effect a return of the coin, whereas the coin will be collected in the event of failure of such coincidence.

Other advantages, economies, and novel aspects of the invention will be apparent from the following description considered in view of the annexed drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary front perspective of a scale and control means thereon;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section along line 2-4 of Fig. 1, and shows the master operating lever means;

Fig. 3 is a-vertical section of the preselecting and weighing scale pointer structure, to enlarged scale, as seen from line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a sectional detail of the manual slip clutch control for the selecting pointer, as seen from line 4-4 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a rear perspective of the coin discharging means; whfle Fig. 6 is a rear perspective of the weighing and selecting mechanism.

Referring to Fig. 1, a preferred embodiment of the invention includes an upright housing it having a window in its upper portion and behind which is a calibrated weight indicating scale ll before which turns a weighing pointer l2, operated by weighing mechanism disposed within the standard or housing, and which mechanism is freed for operation by a coin-operated control slide l3.

Arranged on the front panel of the standard is a dial knob it having driving connection with a selecting pointer l5 mounted to turn concentrically with the weighing pointer upon manipulation of the knob I4, the object of the latter arrangement being to permit the patron to set the pointer l5 to indicate his expected weight, prior to operation of the coin control, so that when the weighing mechanism subsequently operates to cause the mainpointer to indicate the actual weight, the coin willbe returned in a cup I! if the two pointers coincide or designate an stantially the same weight.

Thus, if a persons weight remains unchanged 5 from one time to another, the coin will not becollected, but, on the other hand, if the scale indicates a new and different weight and in this respect indicates to the patron a change in his condition, the coin will be collected.

The coin slide l3 may be of the familiar construction wherein a coin is deposited in an opening in the slide and the member l3 moved in-. wardly a predetermined amount provided the coin is acceptable, and the coin thereafter being do discharged from the slide for movement into some form of collecting receptacle. In the present arrangement, the coin is held in a position for selective disposition prior to its ultimate disposition, since the coin may be returned or collected. A

Operating mechanism for the device is actuated by the inner end of the slide it from which depends (Fig. 5) a roller I. when the slide is moved inwardly, the roller .ll bears against an offset flange l9 ona main operating lever." which is pivoted as at 20a for movement in the direction of reciprocation of the slide Hi. When the slide is moved its full amount inwardly, the operating lever 20 will be pivoted into the dotted line position shown in Fi 2, at which time the coin will be freed from the slide andfall into the mouth of a selecting chute 2i (Fig. 5) on a side of which is pivoted as at 22 a stopping arm 23 having its'nose portion 24 projected through a slot in the side of the chute or receptacle so as to block any coin element against movement toward the lower portion thereof, a spring 25 coacting with the stop lever 23 to project its nose portion constantly toward blocking position.

The blocking lever 23 has an offset crank arm 26 (Figs.'2 and 5) which is disposed for engagement by the curved edge portion 21 of a pawl 28 pivoted on the main operating lever as at 29 and normally urged in an upward direction by the action of a spring 30 attached thereto and anchored as at 3| on the mounting plate for the main lever. when the main operating lever 20 is moved into dotted line position as aforesaid, the pawl 28 is drawn upwardly by its spring due to movement by the pawl away from a stopping pin 32 on the mounting plate so that the 'curved or cam edge portion 21 of the pawl is withdrawn from the crank extension 20 of the coin blocking arm and the nose of the latter will be projected by its spring to block the coin receptacle. Pivoted coaxially with the main operating lever as at 20a is a selector operating lever 95 having an offset lug 36 at one end which is enga ed by a hooked end portion 81 on the pawl when the main lever 20 is moved toward dotted line position so that the selecting arm is, in a manner of speaking, coupled with the main operating lever upon initial movement of the latter, the lever 35 normally beingrestrained from upward (clockwise movement) during such initial movement due to its operative connection with other parts described hereinafter.

Means for assuring the full stroke movement of the main operating lever includes the provision of a locking pawl 40 pivotally mounted on the mounting plate as at 4| and having a notched nose portion 42 at its opposite end which drops into engagement with a pin 43 on the main operating lever when the latter is moved initially into dotted line position, there being a cam flange 44 on the locking lever or pawl disposed for engagement by the roller l8 on the coin slide so that when the latter is restored by the patron to its normal position (toward the left in Figs. 2 and 5), the pawl 49 will be pivoted upwardly to .withdraw the end portion 42 from the stopping pin 43 to permit the main operating lever 29 to pivot back toward its initial position under the urgence of an operating spring 45 attached to a laterally projecting arm on the main lever, and to a lug 41 on the mounting plate.

Means for regulating the rate of return of the main operating lever includes the provision of a time-delay or dashpot device 48 having a plunger operating arm 49 pivotally connected as at 59 to the laterally projecting arm 46 on the main operating lever. Thus, when the main operating lever is initially moved toward dotted line position as seen in Fig. 2, the dashpot or time-delay device 46 is set against the tension of the spring 45 and the lever is locked in this initial or set position due to the operation of the locking pawl 49, the latter being released when the coin slide is retracted, and the spring 45 urging the main lever back to its initial position, the rate of such movement being regulated by the dashpot 48.

Attention may be called at this juncture to the fact that when the main operating lever is restored as aforesaid to its initial position, the pawl 28 will be unhooked from its engagement with the lever 35 and will be pivoted downwardly so that its cam edge 21 bears against the crank arm 26 on the coin blocking lever to move the latter into ineffective position and release the held coin for purposes hereinafter to appear.

It may be assumed that the patron has previously selected his expected weight by manipulation of the knob l4 and that he has thereafter deposited his coin in the slide and operated the latter to set the main operating levers into motion, as heretofore described. When the main operating lever 20 is moved toward the left into initial dotted line position, a uni-directional dog pivoted as at 56 on an upper end thereof is permitted to yield so that the roller 51 thereon may pass beneath an angled flange 58 on a lever arm 59 pivoted as at 69 on the mounting plate, this action being effected through the provision of a spring 6| attached as at 62 to the main operating lever and as at 63 to a lug on the unidirectional dog, the latter having another offset lug 64 which bears against an edge of the main operating lever to prevent the dog from pivoting relative to the lever when the latter moves back toward its normal position, the spring 5!, however, permitting the dog to yield so that its roller will pass beneath the angled flange 58 when the operating lever initially moves toward the left. 5

Upon return movement of the main operating lever, the dog 55 is held rigid with the latter so that its roller 5'! bears against the angled flange 58 and moves the lever 59 upwardly.

This actuates thepreselecting mechanism for 19 cooperation with the weighing mechanism, through the agency of a link 55 which is pivoted as at 61 on the lever 59 and is moved upwardly with the latter to cause a spring 12 thereon and attached to a pin 89 on arm 19 and projecting 15 into a slot 58 in the link 66 to lift the lever 19 which is rigid on a shaft II. Thus, the members 55, 59, 55, 12 provide a yieldable connection between the main operating lever 29 and the operating arm 19 for shaft II. Shaft II extends I through the mounting plate (see Fig. 6) into the compartment occupied by the weighing mechanism.

Thus, return movement of the main operating lever 29 effects a rocking of the lever arm 10 toward the dotted line position indicated in Fig. 2 forrthe purpose of rocking the shaft ll, provided the latter is free to move, and thereby operating a coin deflecting gate in the coin receptacle 2!, as will be pointed out hereinafter.

The weighing mechanism is released for operation by upward movement of the lever 35 on main operating lever 29. As seen in Fig. 6, the weighing mechanism includes a beam 80 fulcrumed on knife edge mountings 8| and 82 at its U opposite ends, the mounting 8| being stationary, and the knife edge mounting 82 being attached as at 83 to the lower end of a scale spring 84, the upper end of the latter being fixedly mounted as at 85. The beam is operatively connected with the weighing platform by a'depending rod 86 so that when the patron steps on the scale the beam 89 will move downwardly against the tension of the spring 84, such downward movement of the beam lowering the cam arm 81 secured thereto, various amounts depending upon the weight of the person on the platform, and it may be remarked that this movement of the beam occurs independently of any deposit of a coin in the machine.

Indication of the weight is effected through the agency of a segmental gear 88 pivotally mounted on a shaft 88a and having an arm 89 which has a roller 90 positioned for engagement with the curved or angled cam edge of the mem- .5 her 81 when the latter is in various positions. Gear teeth 9| on the segment are engaged with a pinion 92 on a main pointer shaft 93 which extends coaxially with the axisof the scale pointer l2, the latter being connected with the main Q shaft, as shown in Fig. 3, through the agency of a coupling block 95 in which one end of the shaft 93 terminates and in which the inner free end of the scale pointer shaft 96 likewise terminates for coupling with the main shaft due a to clamping engagement thereby of the coupling block 95. A selecting pointer arm or stopping index 91 is secured to the coupling block 95 for movement with the main shaft responsive to movements of the segment 58.

The segment 88 is normally restrained from moving downwardly (clockwise, Fig. 6) through the agency of a ratchet wheel 98 rotatable with the shaft 93 and normally locked against movement by engagement of a pawl 99 with the teeth 1| thereof. Thus, while the beam 30 may be moved downwardly by someone standing on the scale, there will be no indication of the weight since the segment 33 and hence its roller 30 are prevented from moving by the ratchet wheel 93.

The pawl 99 is released by downward movement of a rod I attached thereto at its upper end and connected at its lower end with a lug III on an arm I02 which in turn is rigid with a transverse operating arm I03 pivoted as at I04. when the arm I03 is moved downwardly, the rod 7 I33 will be moved downwardly also and pawl 99 withdrawn from the ratchet, whereupon the segment 33 may pivot downwardly to any position permitted by engagement of its roller 90 with the cam arm 31 on the beam.

The transverse arm I03 has a twisted free-end portion I which projects through a slot I06 on the opposite side of the mounting plate upon which the main operating lever is mounted, this free-end portion I05 being seen in Fig. 2 where it is connected by a rod I01 with the lever 35. When the main operating lever 20 returns from dotted line position, the arm 35 is raised to dotted line position and pushes the rod I01 to raise the end I05, and hence the roller II4 of the transverse operating arm I03 is moved downwardly and arm I03 releases the ratchet pawl 99 so that the scale pointer shaft is free to turn, the selecting pointer 91 moving to the corresponding position behind the calibrated scale panel, and the pointer I2 indicating the weight to the patron on the front side of the scale panel.

The transverse operating arm I03 coacts with means for preventing the adjustment of the selecting pointer after the coin has been deposited, so that the machine cannot be defrauded, this latter means including a brake lever IIO pivoted within the housing as at III so as to project a friction brake portion H2 against the periphery of a brake disc II3 which is rigid with the hub structure of the selecting pointer, such movement being effected by a roller II4 on the end of the transverse lever opposite its free end and which bears against a flange II5 on the brake lever and moves the latter against the tension of its normal spring 5 into braking contact with the disc. It may be remarked that the brake will be held in effective position during the entire restorative movement of the main op; erating lever 20 so long as there is a weight on the scale platform, this being accomplished by a locking dog I50 pivoted as at I5I on the rear wall shown in dotted line, and having teeth I52 which hold an offset arm I53, rigid with shaft I02 and transverse operating arm I03, down to urge the brake against disc II3 so long as the beam is down. When the beam rises to normal position, the teeth of a pivoted rack bar I54 catch a dog I55 mounted on the locking dog I50 so as to raise the latter and permit arms- I33 and I03 to return to normal.

The hub structure is shown in Fig. 3 and in- I cludes a pulley I20 from which projects a sleeve I2I coaxially with the main scale pointer shaft 93, the pulley being joumaled in suitable mounting means behind the dial panel II. The selecting pointer I5 is secured to the hub of the pulley by a threaded plug I22, and the scale pointer I2 is secured to the end of the'secondaryor small pointer shaft 95, which in turn extends through the plug I22 and the sleeve portion of the pulley for engagement with the coupling block 95 connecting it with the main pointer shaft 93. In this manner, the selecting and weight indicating pointers are mounted concentrlcally, and since the brake disc H3 is also rigid with the pulley I20 it willbe apparent that when the brake arm H0 is in effective position it will be impossible to rotate the selecting pointer I5.

Referring to Fig. 4, the manual selecting knob I4 is impositively connected to the selecting pointer by means of a slip pulley I arranged to rotate with the shaft I23 of the knob through fric-' tional engagement of a spring I21 expanding between the shaft and the small pulley wheel. If the main-pulley I20 is held against movement by the brake means, the smaller pulley I25 will slip when an attempt is made to turn the knob I4. Thus, the patron is prevented from moving the preselecting pointer into a position to correspond with the weighing pointer after the latter has started its movement.

The selecting means includes a stopping device comprising a circumferentially channeled collar I (Figs. 3 and 6) arranged to float and also to slide axially on a sleeve I3I telescoped onto the sleeve shaft I2I of the main pulley and ,held against movement by a connection I32 with a wall portion I33 of the scale mounting structure. A vertical mounting plate I35 is secured as at I35 to the collar I35 fixed to sleeve I2I and rotates with the latter about the pointer axis. A pan I31 is pivotally mounted as at I33 on the plate I35 and moves with the latter about the pointer shafts and is also disposed for pivotal movement in the direction of the long axis of the pointer shaft so as to project a stopping pin I39 on the upper end thereof into position for engagement with the upper end portion I43 of the preselecting pointer 91 should the latter come to rest opposite a position at which the stop pin had been positioned as a result of manipulating the knob I4.

The pivoted pan I31 is normally disposed in a position to withdraw the stoppin Pin I39 from the plane of movement of the selecting pointer 91 and this is effected through the disposition of pins I40 into one of the circumferential channels or tracks I H in the channeled collar I33. Thus the collar is free to rotate without eifecting movement of the pan; however when the collar is slid axially along the sleeve member I3I the pan will be pivoted to project the pin I39 toward and away from the plane of movement of the selecting pointer 91 and particularly the upper end I40 thereof.

Such movement of the pan is'eifected through the connection of a pair of levers I42 with the channeled collar by means of pins I43 which project into another of the circumferential channel tracks on the collar I30. The levers I42 are rigid on the shaft 1| and it will be recalled that the latter is rocked (anticlockwise in Fig. 2, clockwise in Fig. 6, that is, upwardly) when the main operating lever 20 moves back toward normal position, the unidirectional dog 55 transiently engaging the cam flange 53 so that the shaft 1I may be rocked by a spring I (Fig. 6) back to its normal position when the operating lever finally reaches its, normal position, the spring I45 being attached at one end to the mounting plate and at its opposite end to a lever I45 rigid with the shaft 1|. By this arrangement, the pan I31 will be moved to project its pin I39 into the path of movement of the main preselecting pointer 91 once for each complete operation of the main operating lever 20.

Final disposition of the coin which is retained in the upper portion of the receptacle 2i during various movements of the foregoing mechanism, is effected through the agency of a depending connecting rod I48 -(Figs. 5 and 6) attached at its upper end to the lever arm I46 on shaft II, and at its lower end by means of yieldable connecting means I49 to the shaft I50 of a flag or gate I5I disposed in the coin receptacle 2| in the region beneath the blocking nose 24. The gate I5I is normally disposed in the position seen in Fig. 5, so as to direct a coin over an angled deflector I53 and into the return receptacle I6.

When the flag is pivoted into the dotted line pushed the slide I3 inwardly. Manipulation of the knob I4 will cause the pan I3] to be moved to a position corresponding to the preselected weight, the pan at this time, however, being pivoted to withdraw its stopping pin I39 from any possible engagement with the main preselecting pointer 91.

During restorative movement of the main operating lever, the lever arms actuated by the unidirectional dog will make an effort to rock the lever 10 and hence the shaft I I, such rocking movement of the shaft II being prevented, however, if the pin I39 has been so positioned that the selecting pointer 97 stops opposite the pin (this condition constituting coincidence of the preselecting and weight indicating pointers), the pivotal movement of the pan I31 by the lever arm I42, which also turns with the shaft II, being prevented so that the effort of the unidirectional dog and lever mechanism to rock the shaft II is likewise prevented, and asa consequence upward movement of the connecting rod I48 is also prevented and the gate I5I remains in position to deflect the coin back to the return receptacle when the blocking arm 23-24 releases the coin.

In the event that the patron has failed to set the pointer I5 at a position which will cause the stop pin I39 on the pan to coincide with the position of the main preselecting pointer 91, the shaft II will be free to rock completely and hence the rod I48 will be lifted and the gate IBI pivoted into dotted line position to deflect the coin into the collecting receptable.

The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized by other forms of construction and modes of operation of the arrangement specifically set forth herein for purposes of illustration, and it is a condition of this disclosure that the appended claims are to include all equivalent arrangements fairly coming within their call.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In a coin controlled weight indicating scale including weighing mechanism, means operable to preselectively designate a particular weight which the scale is expected to indicate when a coin is deposited to actuate the same, coin guid ing means movable from a normal position to direct a coin into a collection receptacle and arranged to direct a coin into a coin return receptacle when in said normal position, means arranged to move said guiding means out of normal position once during each operation of the scale as aforesaid, and coacting stop means operatively positionedrespectively by said preselective designating means and said weighing mechanism of said scale for stopping engagement to prevent movement of said guiding means from normal position as aforesaid provided the weight preselectively designated coincides substantially with that actually indicated by said scale, and means for preventing adjusting movement of said stop means by said preselectively operable means while said scale is partly or wholly in weight indicating operation.

2. In a coin-controlled scale, in combination, a coin-freed control for setting the scale in operation, coin return mechanism including a movable coin guide normally positioned to direct a coin into a return receptacle and movable out of normal position to direct a coin into a collection receptacle, means actuated by said control responsive to each coin-freed operation of the same for moving said guide out of normal position to effect collection of a coin, and an adjustable stopping device including a movable stop element and mechanism cooperating therewith to prevent movement of said guide out of normal position when said movable stop element is restrained against movement, and a scale-operated stopping index with respect to which said stopping device is selectively adjusted to position said movable stop element in alignment with said index whereby movement of the stop element may be prevented by engagement with the index. 3. In a weighing machine, weight indicating means including a rotatable blocking arm, weight estimating means including a rockably mounted member arranged to be selectively adjusted into a position in which it will be in alignment with said arm when the indicated and estimated weights are the same, coin guiding means for collecting or returning a coin and including a pivotally mounted butterfly valve normally in position to eject returned coins from said machine, means for moving said butterfly valve from said normal position into position to direct coins into a collection receptacle in said machine, and means coacting with said rockably mounted member when said member is aligned with said arm to prevent movement of said butterfly valve out of normal position into coin collecting position whenever the indicated and estimated weights are the same and the blocking arm and rockable member are aligned as aforesaid.

WILLIAM G. SIMMONS. 

